12/07/2024
To our community of vendors, attendees, and supporters,
We feel it is necessary to address the situation surrounding the need for last-minute venue changes. Our company has always prioritized professionalism, ethics, and the care of animals in every event we host. Unfortunately, after announcing these events, certain individuals and groups engaged in actions that led to complications with the venues.
While we strive to avoid negativity, it is important to provide clarity:
Confirmed Venues Disrupted: All venue bookings were confirmed prior to our public announcements. Afterward, some venues began receiving calls spreading misinformation, pressuring them to reconsider their commitments.
Involved Parties: Among these callers are individuals who were removed from our events in the past for unethical practices, including poor animal care, inappropriate behavior, and actions unbecoming of professionals in this community. Others include competitors and a small group of vendors attempting to undermine our reputation.
Impact of Their Actions: While these attempts to harm our company have had minimal impact on us as a whole, they are creating unnecessary disruptions for vendors and customers. The real victims of this behavior are not the show organizers but the vendors who lost sales and the customers who loose access to the quality and care they expect. This is why we, as a company, never bash or interfere with other shows. Such actions only hurt the vendors and the customersāthe very backbone of this community.
Why We Take a Stand
We will not compromise the integrity of our events or allow unethical behavior to represent the reptile hobby. The actions of a few individualsāwhether vendors or competitorsādo not reflect the values of the majority of our community.
Itās important to highlight that our decisions regarding vendors are always rooted in protecting the quality and safety of our events. While some may dislike these decisions, they are necessary to maintain the standards we believe in.
Our Commitment
Our mission is to provide attendees with well-cared-for animals, education, and support from reputable vendors. We are deeply passionate about this hobby and remain focused on fostering a positive and ethical environment.
To those questioning our numbers or processes, we welcome transparency. Our attendance data is meticulously tracked using point-of-sale systems, and we comply with all legal and tax requirements. We are confident in the trust and relationships we have built with our community over the years.
A Call for Professionalism
To the vendors and attendees who support us, we deeply appreciate your trust and commitment to our events. For those involved in spreading negativity, we ask that you consider the broader impact of these actions. Instead of tearing down events, focus on building a better experience for everyone involved. Letās remember: when shows are sabotaged or bad-mouthed, itās not the organizers who feel the greatest impactāitās the vendors and the customers who suffer most.
As a final note, we want to address the group of promoters and vendors who have been working against us. While competition is a natural part of any industry, the actions being taken ultimately harm the very vendors and customers we all claim to support. Instead of targeting us, consider how much your hurting your vendors. Unfortunately, choices have been made, and those choices have created unnecessary division. We hope, moving forward, there is a realization of the harm being caused to the vendorsāvendors you call friendsāby attempting to take out a business out of jealousy.
Our organization hosts seven unique event types, with five of them significantly larger than the shows in question. The idea that you can "put us out of business," as has been openly stated, is not only unrealistic but also shortsighted. Even after five years of collective effort to undermine us, weāre still here, growing stronger and continuing to serve our vendors and attendees.
Our commitment remains unwavering: to foster a positive, inclusive environment that supports everyone in this industry. Itās time to shift the focus back to what truly mattersāsupporting the vendors, customers, and the community weāve all worked hard to build. If you are one of these promoters or vendors and do not want to show your vendors and customers that you support the very community you serve, then please get out of the way and let the adults run the shows. If you have any concerns or questions about our events, we encourage you to reach out directly. We stand by the integrity of our shows and are always happy to provide references or share insights into our operations.
Thank you for your continued trust and support as we navigate this situation. We remain committed to delivering exceptional events and supporting a community that values ethical practices, quality animals, and a shared passion for this hobby.
